Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1887-03-24
CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
A MEMORABLE COMMITTEE OF
T1fE WHOLE.



Good sPeech = why Re Finally
Voted with the Minority .- sonhe
plain Talk hroSn RAr. mccoy.
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and journal
Down, March l8.--Oonstitutiona con-
vention, Wilmipgton's delegation, three
per cent loan and the passage by theS
ate of the policy bill have combined to
make this by odds the biggest legislative
day Of the session. Out of the turmoil Of
conflicting opinions and interests which
after long simmering have within the
past week gone on through bubblinR into
uproariously noisy boiling all over the
House chamber till late hour az nipht
has been finally developed the following
bill, which was agreed on in committes'
reported by the chairman, Mr.. HarrinR-
ton, considered in committee of the whole
and adopted In the House this afternoon
by vote of 15 to g.
WHEREAS, The subject OF convention to
revise and amend the constitution OF this
STATE mas Deen agitated among the people;
and
WHEREAS, This General Assembly. With
out expressing any opinion as to the neces-
sity OF convention, deems II to bD right
and proper 70 afford an opportunity to the
people 10 make their sense known, by en-
acting such LEGISLATION as will better enable
them to declare their will In relation thereto
therefore be II enacted, &C.
Section l. On the first Tuesday In Noyem-
ber next special election shall be held for
the purpose OF Rscertainipg the sense of the
people or this State upon the Question of
calling o convention to change, alter and
amend the constitution OF the State. At the
said election the citizens Of the State
entitled to vote for representatives may
have written or printed on their ballots the
words, For Convention" or Against a
Convention" Such ballots may be- any size
and form not exceeding the sizs now pro-
vlded by law.
Section 9. That at said special election to
be held as presented In section OF this act
the inspectors and judges chosen In the
several hundreds throughout the State to
hold the last general election shall hold
said special election. Any vacancy In said
offices shall be fllled In the same manuer us
now prescribed by law. Said election shall
be held at same places, In the same manner
and according to the same regulations, so
far as they are applicable to the purpose OF
this act, as are prescribed concerning the
general election, and all votes cast, shall
be tailed, canvassed and certified ut the
same times In the same manner, at the
same places and by the same persons as is
prescribed In the act entitled "An act regu-
lating the general election;p and anv
amendment and supplements thereto, for
certificates Of the result of the general cleo
tion. The certificates shall contain
specific statement OF the number OF votes
cast "for a convention" and against n con-
vention.
Section 8. The board OF canvass shall as
certain the result by reference to the
highest number OF votes cast In the State at
any one OF the throe general elections next
preceding the day of voting for conven-
tlon, except when they may be less than
the whole number OF votes voted both for
and against convention, In which case
the said majority shall be ascertained by
reference to tho number Of votes given at
tho day OF voting for or against conven-
tion.
Section A. The certificates OF said election
shall be returned to the General Assembly
In the same manner, by the same persons
and In the same way as the certificates OF
the election of governor are now returned.
Section 8. The General Assembly to whom
the said certificates have been delivered
shall on the second Wednesday after its
organization meet In joint session IN the
hall OF the House OF Representatives and
ascertain the result Of the vote cast upon
the calling OF q convention, and, II It shall
appear from the certificates 80 returned as
Aforesaid that a majority OF all the citizens
In the State having right to vote for repre-
sentatives, have voted for a convention,
shall call convention and provide by law
for the holding of an election for delegates
to said convention.
Section O. II shall be the duty of theJ
sheriffs OF other officers to whom the ballot |
hoxes used at said election are delivered |
according 10 law, to keep the said boxes |
and the ballots therein contained safely |
until after the meeting OF the General |
sa55onbiy next after the said election and to |
hold the said boxes with the ballots therein |
subject to the ordur OF said General /
Assembly.
When this bill came up for action there
was some trouble over going into com.
mittee of the whole and over getting |
things Strengthened out after the House
had resolved itself into committee. With
such parliamentarian as Mr.. NAPLES iu |
the chair the decks were finally cleared |
for action and the original 1.-TWO ballot
boxes) bill and the committees substitute
read.
Mr.. Wilson offered an amendment SUBJ
stituting the third Tuesday in May, 1883,
as the day for holding the election.
MIR. McOabe said convention had been
talked of ever since the session opened, |
but no progress had been made beyond /
developing that there are almost as many |
different opinions as there are members. |
Every member not only has his own opin-
ion, but that of some legal mind TO back |
him up, until he (McOabe) had almost
come to the conclusion that this House /
can do almost anything and be backed up
by some legal opinion. He, therefore,
thought it best to stand by the report of
the committee. We have placed this |
matter in the hands of the committee; they |
have investigated and felt around and |
brought in this bill. The Senate has had |
a General Election. Day bill before II al
most ever since the session opened and |
has done nothing with il. In the face of |
this inaction II seems useless in us to take |
the general-election.dsy. am for q con-
ventioni II can't get the day want am |
willing to take some other day.
Mr.. Harrington was ready for trial OF |
strength ON MIR. Wilson's amendment.
Mr.. Jones firmly believed that the en- |
dangering by the Legislature of the prin- |
ciple Of convention would be sternly re-
buked blythe people. He was sorry TO see |
men using their utmost efforts to obstruct |
action on the very measure they made |
the canvass on last fall. Nearly the whole !
Of this opposition comes from office |
holders. When You hear these objections |
Just inquire where they originated. Let MS |
legislate for the people and let these Office |
holders take care OF themselves. He |
believed the person who votes to hold this |
election on any other than general election |
day does 80 from desire to defeat con- |
vention. He was told that the indges |
are against general election day. Their |
Judgment may be warped by their in. |
terests and lie was not willing to |
take his opinion from them. He |
was satisfied that four-ffths of his |
Constituents want o convention. There |
is no man in the State with the least |
desire for political preferment who will |
dare TO openly oppose convention. This |
Ia the last chance that will be offered us |
as party; if we don't take it we'll get |
left. He was in favor of holding this |
election on general election day, Hnd |
would vote for no other day, because he |
didn't believe they could get the vote out |
on any other day. He thought it au in
suit 10 the present generation to question |
its competency to make better eonstitu. |
tion than that of 50 years ago. John M. |
Clayton was an able man; he may have |
locked the door and thrown away the |
key, but there is no door too strong for |
the people. Be consistent. You must |
answer for your actions TO those who |
have sent you here.
Mr.. Jones then trained his battery upon |
MIR. Norny and proceeded to quote from |
a campaign speech made by that member |
and to contrast his professions then with |
his position now. He continued that |
Kent seemed unanimous, in the campaign, |
for convention and that Sussex instructed |
her candidates to vote for convention. |
The Sussex Republicans kept out of the